Engine rocker arm



Sept. 27, 1949. J. M. LEAKE 2,483,210

Enema: odxmz ARM Filed July 26, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Sept,27, 1949. J. M. LEAKE I ENGINE ROCKER ARM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 26, 1945 INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 27 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENGINE ROCKER ARM James M. Leake, Monroe, Mich.

Application July 26, 1945, Serial No. 607,171

11 Claims. 1

My invention relates to engine rocker arms and more particularly to the'type employed in the overhead valve type of internal combustion engine.

Many attempts have been made to reduce. the weight of engine rocker arms. My former Patent No. 2,176,083 discloses a rocker arm made from sheet metal. This arm is lighter in weight than a cast or forged rocker arm because the strength of sheet metal is greater than the strength of cast and forged metal. My Patents No. 2,338,726 and 2,345,822 provide engine rocker arms with U-shaped cross section provided with novel strengthening hubs. In this type of engine rocker arm dirt and sludge collects in the rocker arm which materially increases the weight of the arm member. Difiiculty has also been encountered with the nut breaking loose from the arm member.

In my improved engine rocker arm the pressure exerted on the nut member, during operation of the engine, keeps the nut in its proper position instead of tending to push it out of position as it does in the structure shown in my Patents No. 2,338,726'and 2,345,822. An additional surface is provided for securing the nut to the arm member and the arm member itself is strengthened. My improved engine rocker arm also prevents dirt and sludge from collecting in the arm member. My improved engine rocker arm also provides a structure that is adapted to quantity production at a minimum cost.

My improved engine rocker arm finds great utility when applied to the present day highspeed internal combustion engine as it has the attributes of rigidity and strength coupled with light weight, dependability and low cost of manufacture.

One object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm that provides a cross section giving maximum strength for the material used.

Another object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm made of sheet metal which provides great strength properties.

Another object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm made from stampings that are easily made and assembled. 7

Another object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker armthat is dependable,

Another object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm that has an adequate lubricating system.

Another object of m invention is to provide an engine rocker arm that will not fill with dirt and sludge.

Another object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm that requires no expensive machining operations in the manufacturing process.

Another object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm that can be produced uniformly in quantity production.

Another object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm that can be produced at a minimum cost.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangements of the various parts of my improved engine rocker arm as described in the specification, claimed in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: v

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved engine rocker arm.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of my improved engine rocker arm shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the engine rocker arm shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a sectiona1 view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the reinforcing member used in my novel engine rocker arm.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the reinforcing taken along line member shown in Figure 6.

Y Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 shows a modification of the part shown in Figure '7.

Figure 10 is a view partially in section of a variation of my novel engine rocker arm shown in Figure 4.

Figure 11 is a front elevation of the lower member of my engine rocker arm shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a top plan view of the member shown in Figurell.

Figure 13 is a top plan view of the contacting bearing provided by my improved engine rocker arm.

Referring now to the drawing in more detail, I have shown a stamped or pressed metal arm member Ill. The arm member in is formed from a flat piece of sheet metal to provide side walls ll and I2 spaced substantially apart and an upper wall 13 joining the side walls. A hollow prism portion M is provided at one end of the arm member H]. A threaded member or standard nut l5 fits in the hollow prism portion is.

A contacting bearing I6 provided with a stem [1 is secured between the walls H and [2 of the arm member ID.

A tubular hub member 18 extends transversely to the arm 10 through suitable apertures in the side walls I i and I2. A suitable bushing or bearing member I9 is pressed in the hub 18. A tube 2i extends from the hub [8 to the upper wall I3 thus providing an oil passageway 29 from the hub to the upper surface of the engine rocker arm.

A lower member 22 is substantially fiat transverse thereof and longitudinally it substantially conforms to the shape of the lower edge of the side walls H and i2. One end of the member 22 is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending tabs 23, 24 and 25. The tabs 23 and 2d are juxtaposed to the side walls H and 22 while the tab 25 is juxtaposed to the threaded member l5.

Figure 9 discloses a modification of the lower member. The lower member 26 is provided with an upwardly extending portion 2'1. In this form the ears shown in Figure 7 are formed in one piece by means of a pressing operation into the upwardly extending portion 21.

The various parts of my novel engine rocker arm are brazed together with a non-ferrous substance to form a substantially one piece structure. walls H and 12. The stem ll of the contacting bearing I6 is brazed to the side walls I! and i2. The threaded member i5 is brazed in the hollow prism portion I4. The tube 28 is brazed to the hub member I 8 and also to the top wall I3. This provides a sealed oil passageway from the hub to the top surface of the engine rocker arm.

The member 22 is brazed to the lower portion of the side walls I and [2. This strengthens the side walls and also closes the lower side of the arm member H). The tab 25 is brazed to the threaded member 5, the tabs 23 and 24 are brazed to the side walls H and I2 and the tabs 23 and 24 are brazed to the tab 25. This provides a means for strengthening the arm member ID between the hub and hollow prism portion 14.

The member 28 serves the same purpose as the lower member 22. The only variation being that the tabs 23, 2s and 25 are combined in one upwardly extending member 2?;

Figures 10, l1 and 12 disclose another modification of my invention. The arm member I0 is the same as the arm member [0 shown in Figures l and 4. The lower member 28 is provided with an upstanding peripheral edge 29. This upstanding peripheral edge provides greater contact with the side walls H and i2. When the assembled arm is brazed a larger area is brazed 0r fused together which greatly increases the strength of the arm member. The threaded member 34) is secured in the partial prism portion 3!. The stem 33 of the contacting bearing 32 extends through the aperture 34 and extends between the peripheral edge 29. The lower member 23 is secured between the side walls II and The hub member I8 is brazed to the side walls.-

'4 l2 as shown in Figure 10. The assembly is brazed into a single unit. In the brazing process the joining edges are fused thus forming the arm member H), the lower member 28, the threaded member 3|, the hub l3 and the contacting bearing 32 into a substantial integral unit.

The contacting bearing 32 is provided with a locating fin 35 which engages the slot 36 in the lower member 28. The lower surface 31 of the contacting bearing 32 is curved and it is very important that the axis of this curvature is properly aligned with the remainder of the valve operating mechanism (not shown).

It will be readily noted that my engine rocker arm provides an inverted substantially U-shaped cross section. This type of structure provided metal at a point where it gives the most strength, but it does not provide a means for reinforcing the weaker sections. The member 22 provides a brace between the lower portions of the side The tabs strengthen the weaker portion of the arm by providing a thickened side wall and by providing another connection between the threaded member and the side walls.

With the present day increase in engine speeds it is necessary to provide engine rocker arms with more strength. This is accomplished in my improved engine rocker arm with a minimum increase in weight. Since the rocker arm is an oscillating part it is very essential that its weight be kept at a minimum. Any additional weight means an increased amount of power required to operate the arms, stronger valve springs and more wear.

My improved engine rocker arm provides increased dependability, because it eliminates weak points in the engine rocker arm.

My improved engine rocker arm provides a closed structure which prevent the collecting of dirt, sludge and oilwithin the arm member.

My improved engine rocker arm also provides a simple lubrication system that eliminates clogging because there are no turns or reservoirs to collect or stop dirt particles.

While I have described the details of one form of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the particular form shown and described as it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications therein may be made without parting from the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. An engine rocker arm comprising; a central bearing support; arms extending in opposite directions from said bearing support comprising a stamping of inverted U-shaped crosssection; a hollow partial prism at one end of one of said arms; a threaded member secured in said hollow partial prism; and a reinforcing member, comprising a stamping, adapted to substantially close the opening of said stamping of inverted u-shaped cross section, and also provided with a projecting portion secured to said threaded mem-- her and to the side walls of said stamping of inverted U-shaped cross section.

2. An engine rocker arm comprising; an arm member with vertical side walls spaced substantially apart and an upper wall joining said side walls at the upper edges thereof; a hub member intermediate the ends of said arm memher; a threaded member secured between said side walls at one end of said arm member; and a stamped sheet metal member extending between the lower edges of said arm member, said stamped metal member having an upwardly extending p01".

tion secured to said threaded member and said vertical side walls.

3. An engine rocker arm comprising; an arm member with vertical side walls spaced substantially apart and a transverse wall integral with said side walls at the upper edges thereof; a tubular hub member extending transverse to said am member intermediate its ends; a threaded member secured between said side Walls; and a stamped sheet metal member extending between the lower edges of said arm member and rigidly secured thereto, said stamping being provided with a plurality of upwardly projecting ears, one of said ears being secured to said threaded member whereby the strength between said arm member and said threaded member is increased.

4. An engine rocker arm comprising an arm member with spaced vertical side walls and an upper wall joining said side walls; a hub member intermediate the ends of said arm member; a threaded member between the walls of said arm member at one end thereof; a fixed contacting bearing at the other end of said arm member; a sheet metal stamping extending from said fixed contacting bearing to said threaded member; and a means forming said arm member, said hub, said threaded member, said fixed contacting bearing and said sheet metal member into a substantially one piece member.

5. An engine rocker arm comprising; an arm member of substantially inverted U-shap-ed cross section; a hub intermediate the ends of said arm member; a threaded member disposed at one end of said arm member; a contacting bearing disposed at the other end of said arm member; and a lower member extending transversely between the side walls of said arm member and extending longitudinally from said fixed contacting bearing to said threaded member; and a means comprising a non-ferrous substance adapted to fuse said arm member, said hub, said threaded member, said contacting bearing and said lower member into a substantially one piece member.

6. An engine rocker arm comprising; an arm member of substantially inverted U-shaped cross section; a hub intermediate the ends of said arm member; a contacting bearing secured at one end of said arm member, a threaded member secured in the other end of said arm member; and a lower stamped member, said lower stamped member secured to the lower portion of the walls of said arm member, said lower stamped member provided with an upwardly extending portion secured to said threaded member.

'7. An engine rocker arm comprising; an arm member of substantially inverted U-shaped cross section; a hub intermediate the ends of said arm member; a contacting bearing disposed at one end of said arm member; a threaded member disposed at the other end of said arm member; a stamped metal member extending longitudinally intermediate the side walls of said arm member, one end of said stamped metal member terminating juxtaposed said threaded member; and a means comprising a non-ferrous material whereby join ing surfaces of said contacting bearing, said threaded member, said hub and said stamping are fused to provide substantially one piece hollow arm member.

8. An engine rocker arm comprising; an arm member of substantially inverted U-shaped cross section; a hub intermediate the ends of said arm member; a tubular member extending from said hub to the top surface of said arm member; a contacting bearing disposed between the side walls of said arm member at one end thereof; a threaded member disposed between said side Walls of said arm member at the other end thereof; a stamped metal member extending longitudinally between said side walls in engagement therewith, one end of said stamped metal member terminating juxtaposed said threaded member; and a means comprising a non-ferrous material whereby the contiguous surfaces of said arm member, said tubular member, said contacting bearing, said threaded member and said stamped metal member are fused to provide a substantially one piece arm member.

9. An engine rocker arm comprising; an arm member of substantially inverted U-shaped cross section; a hub intermediate the ends of said arm member and securely brazed thereto; a contacting bearing brazed to one end of said arm member; a threaded member brazed between the walls of the other end of said arm; and a stamped metal member extending longitudinally between said walls and brazed thereto, said stamped metal stamping provided with an upwardly projecting portion brazed to said threaded member.

10. An engine rocker arm comprising; an arm member comprising vertical side walls spaced substantially apart and an upper wall joining said side walls; a hub member intermediate the ends of said arm member and secured thereto; a lower member provided with upstanding peripheral edges secured between said side walls, a hollow partial prism portion provided by said upstanding peripheral edges at one end of said lower member; a threaded member secured in said hollow partial prism portion; and a contacting bearing secured between said upstanding peripheral edges.

11. An engine rocker arm comprising; an arm member of substantially inverted U-shaped cross section; a hub intermediate the ends of said arm member; a threaded member disposed at one end of said arm member; a contacting bearing disposed at the other end of said arm member; and a lower stamping extending transversely between said side walls of said arm member and engaging said threaded member and said contacting bearing.

JAMES M. LEAKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,374,186 Carlson Apr. 12, 1921 1,967,918 Wells et al. July 24, 1934 2,345,822 Leake Apr. 4, 1944 

